Topic Contents

Cirrhosis Complications: Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis

Topic Overview

People who have
cirrhosis are at risk for an infection in
the fluid (ascites) that builds up in the abdominal cavity. Spontaneous
bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is an infection of ascitic fluid that occurs
without warning or a clear cause. SBP most often occurs when a person has had
cirrhosis for a long time.

SBP infection is treated with antibiotics such as
cefotaxime (Claforan). These medicines can kill bacteria usually found in the
intestine. Your doctor may do a procedure called
paracentesis to collect a sample of fluid from the
abdomen. The fluid can be analyzed to find out which antibiotic will work best to kill the bacteria causing the infection.

Most people who are treated with antibiotics recover from the
infection.

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